Band-cutting fork



(No Model.)

A. RODMAN.

BAND GUTTING FORK.

No. 396,431; PatentedJan. 22, 1889.

UVI/EIVTOH" By Q A TTORIVEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFI E.

ARTHUR RODMAN, OF HOLDER, ILLINOIS.

BAN D-CUTTING FORK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 396,431, dated January 22, 1889.

Application filed April 23, 1888. Serial No. 271,548. (No model.)

To all whmn it 77mg concern.-

Be it known that I, ARTHUR RODMAN, of Holder, in the county of McLean and State of Illinois, have invented a new and Improved Band-Cutting Fork, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to forks for handling grain, and has for its obj ect to provide a grainfork so constructed that the grain may be handled and the fastening cord or band severed simultaneously by means of the fork.

The iln'ention will be set forth in the following description, and pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar figures of reference indicate corresponding parts in both the views.

Figure 1 is a perspective view, with handle broken away, of a grain-fork constructed in accordance wiih this invention. Fig. 2 is a detail showing a modification in the cutter.

In unfastening sheaves of grain preparatory to shaking before the straw is passed through the thrashing-machine the services of two men are required to out the bands or cords holding the sheaf. By means of this inven tion these men may be dispensed with and a man using the fork can cut the bands and handle the straw simultaneously.

The fork is constructed as follows: The

head 1 of a grain-fork, 2, is provided with a other end of bar 5 is forked, as shown tapering in form at 10, and is riveted to a cutting-blade, l1, projecting over the hollow portion of the fork 2, with its flat side at right straw.

angles thereto. The cutter 11 is formed preferably, as shown, with shoulders 12, having bearded cutting-edges 13, which cut the band of the sheaf as the fork is thrust into the The blade or cutter 11, which is preferably of steel, is formed thicker at the center along the rib 14c to render'the cutter strong. In lieu of the bearded cutting-edges 1.3 the shoulders 12 of the cutting-blade 11 may be formed with plain cutting-edges 15 as shown in Fig. 2. If. desired, the cutter and its attaching portions may be removed from the fork.

By means of this invention a grain-fork is provided by means of which the handling of straw-sheaves is greatly expedited and the expense thereof reduced.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. An attachment for grain-forks, consisting of the tapering blade 11, having shouldered cutting-edges 12 on opposite sides, and provided with the bar 5, the screw-threaded post 3, having the enlarged and apertured part at, and the socket-piece '7, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with the fork 2, the handle 9, provided with the socket piece 7, and the post 23, secured to the head of the fork and having apertured enlargement 4, of the bar 5, secured in the socket-piece and enlargement of the post, and the cutting-blade 11, provided with. the shoulders 12, having bearded cutting-edges 13, substantially as herein shown and'doscribed.

ARTHUR RODMAN.

Witnesses:

A. W. ANDERSON, J. H. GREEN. 

